YEARBOOK: The Things We Love

PRESENTS

BY NATE BISHARA

THEY/HE ITEM: THE ZINE YOU’RE READING

COPYRIGHT © 2022 OVER MAGAZINE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL METHODS, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF BRIEF QUOTATIONS EMBODIED IN CRITICAL REVIEWS AND CERTAIN OTHER NONCOMMERCIAL USES PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT LAW.

ISBN-13

979-8-218-00855-0 Published by Nate Bishara Under name of Over Magazine

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: NATE BISHARA LIGHTING ASSITANCE: DUVY SANDOVAL, ADRIAN BERCEDA, KIM CRUZALTA, AMANI SODIQ-ODUNAIYA COVER, LAYOUT, AND INTERVEWS BY: NATE BISHARA ILLUSTRATIONS BY: STONE SHULSKY COLLAGES BY: ADRIAN BERCEDA COPY EDITING BY: STEPHANIE SALAS-VEGA PRINTED AT Local Group, Denton,

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to everyone who trusted me to take their photos and share their stories. This has been my personal favorite project I have ever worked on and I am so happy that I got to do it with so many wonderful people! I couldn’t have done it without all of you.

A very special thanks to the lovely people over at The TX Studios for granting me a creative residency in the summer of 2021 where I shot this project. I absolutely love your studio space and cannot thank you enough for allowing us to create there!

Many thanks to the over 50 people who donated funds for this project via Kickstarter or at in-person events. Together, we completed our funding goal and I really appreciate it.

One final thanks to The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for selecting me as one of their 2022 Easter Grant recipients, this grant really allowed this project to climb to even further heights.

-Nate

THANK YOU Adam Hasley Andrew Reyes André Suell Ayren Powell Bailey Turfitt Caroline & Amy Emma Brundage Gretchen Anthony Hannah Rosenfeld Hannah S-J Jacob Thomas James Searless Jaya Gratts Johnny Nguyen Jordan Mazurek

Joseph G Joshua Tsang Juan Miguel Jimenez K. M. Sanders Kamal Bishara Kasey Jones Katie Christian Nathan Raveles Payton Price Quinn Flynn Robert Christian Shelly Buttler Susan Bishara Tousedsa Lyons Unova Childs

Thank you all so much for all of your contributions.

PREFACE Each edition of YEARBOOK is meant to showcase the LGBTQIA+ people within it, highlighting different thoughts, opinions, and expressions surrounding a specific topic of interest. In this edition, each participant was tasked with wearing an outfit they feel represents them or their day-to-day clothing choices, as well as bringing an item they feel is significant to them. The topic of discussion was “what item is important to you and why” with the follow-up question being about identity and/or self-expression.

Documenting the lives of LGBTQIA+ people is an important action we must do as queer people to preserve our history, and I hope to help achieve that with this project.

It is likely that each edition will follow a similar style to this first edition. I am hoping to expand the future editions to places and people outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and I’m excited to start the next edition. But for now, I am very proud and extremely grateful to have been able to work on this edition and be able to start this project. It has truly been a dream.

-Nate This ones’ for all the queers who can’t be with us today.

Warning: some content might be considered NSFW (but who cares! Enjoy it anyway.)

CLASS A

ROXY (SHE/HER) DAKOTA BROOKE (SHE/THEY) HANNAH DAVIS (SHE/HER) ANTONIO CORDERRO MENDOZA MERCADO (HE/HIM/ÉL)

CLASS A

IVY (HE/HIM) DOMINIC (THEY/HIM/SHE) ¡DUVY! (ANY PRONOUNS)

WHAT IS YOUR ITEM? The item is very special to me, my boyfriend of five years gave it to me for my birthday. I chose to bring this item specifically because in many ways it brings me comfort on days where I miss him or my family the most. He and I are in a long-distance relationship and having items from him makes me feel as though he is there with me on my hardest and most stressful days. I’ve always associated my boyfriend with frogs because of the way frogs transform from a tadpole into their final stage. He, himself, transitioning into the man he has always wanted to be since he was a kid and the transformation of our relationship throughout the years.

ROXY

SHE/HER ITEM: STUFFED ANIMAL

WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING PANSEXUAL IN THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY? I believe that being pansexual has made it difficult to understand where I fit into the LGBTQIA+ community because many believe pansexuality is the same as bisexuality. However, even though I’m in a relationship with someone who identifies as male, because of the way I dress I have been called a ‘dyke’ or ‘butch’. When I tell certain people that I’ve never been with a girl before they have invalidated my boyfriend’s identity telling me “technically” I have been with a girl. It’s always felt difficult getting people to understand that the way I dress has no correlation to my sexual preference or identity. I just enjoy wearing dresses or more ‘feminine presenting’ clothes as well as more masculine-presenting clothes. I wouldn’t consider myself super femme or super masc but a middle ground between the two.

WHY THIS ITEM? I have the worst sense of memory ever. Living fast, everything kind of just comes and goes, making it more difficult to hold on to anything. Choosing the instant camera as my special item was no dilemma as it assists me with my recollection of time. I’ve always used photography as a way of recording important events in my life. Every time I look at the photos I take I get to relive the sweet moments, even if it’s just for a quick second. I love the aesthetic of instant film cameras and the fact that my camera goes with all my outfits, so taking it everywhere is no big deal to me.

I love being both behind the camera as well as being in front of it. I will say though, a camera can never capture what my eye can see, but it can store what my mind can’t hold.

HOW DO YOU EXPRESS YOURSELF? Being as feminine as I am, the world has inspired me to not give a fuck. People are always looking, so why not treat the streets like a runway? Be somebody today and be somebody else tomorrow. I enjoy whatever makes me feel like a doll. Fashion, film, music, down to even the car I drive. I wear whatever feels liberating, what makes me feel like my sexiest, unique self.

IVY

HE/HIM ITEM: POLAROID CAMERA

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? When I was growing up, I was forced to follow in my older sister’s footprints. I love her to death but as you can imagine being constantly compared to someone years above you can be a bit crushing to a kid. I had to have her same teachers, get the same grades, be in the same clubs, and pursue the music she was interested in. That guitar is the first real thing that I was able to explore for myself. No one in my family plays guitar, so there was no one to be compared to. At its core, the guitar symbolizes how I came to find myself as an individual.

WHAT HAS YOUR GENDER AND SEXUALITY JOURNEY BEEN LIKE?

DAKOTA BROOKE

SHE/THEY ITEM: 1960s GUITAR FOUND IN MY GRANDPARENT’S CLOSET

Being transfem, I suffer from body dysmorphia (big surprise), so I find myself trying to act in ways that I see other women act. I try to wear the same things but it just doesn’t feel right. My partner Dominic has really helped me understand that no matter what I wear or how I talk, I’m just as valid of a woman as any cis girl.

I love music, art, movies, and so much more. I’ve come to realize me being a woman has no say in what I wear or do -- it’s just a small detail that’s part of a bigger picture.

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? My guitar means a lot to me because it represented a turning point in my musicianship and identity. It was the first instrument that I bought that I really specifically wanted, and wanted specifically for me. I’ve had other instruments given to me or bought for me, but I never knew much about gear, so I always just got whatever I was told I should get. But this was an instrument I really wanted, and that was really special to me. I also impulsively covered it in stickers a few days after buying it, even though everyone in my band at the time said I shouldn’t and that I’d regret it once they get all old and gooey. The stickers haven’t gotten gooey yet, and I don’t regret it. I think they’re super cute.

HAVE YOUR IDENTITES AFFECTED THE WAY YOU PERSENT YOURSELF? My identities definitely affect the way I dress and present myself. Being confident in my “genderlessness” means that I can wear what I want and what I think looks good on me, regardless of the femininity or masculinity of the clothing. I don’t feel like I have to try to look specifically manly, womanly, or androgynous, because I know that my presentation does not affect or define my gender by any means. To me, I can look like a boy when I’m wearing a skirt, and I can look like a girl when I’m in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt. It’s all just made up to me, so I can do what I want and define myself however I want and however makes me feel comfortable. I really enjoy going to house shows, because of my love for music, but also because of the open and accepting environment they have. There I feel safe to dress and present myself however I want, and I know I will not be questioned or invalidated.

DOMINIC

THEY/HE/SHE ITEM: ELECTRIC GUITAR

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? I chose this vinyl to bring because it is my most played album and really dear to my heart. I bought it a couple of years ago and listen to it almost religiously. I chose this item because it tells the story of everyday people’s lives. The lyrics have gotten me through a lot of hard and good times. It reminds me of the quirks and differences in every person but also reminds me of the similarities between us all. I truly believe it’s an album that connects people.

WHEN EXPRESSING YOURSELF, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT IT? As a bisexual woman, I feel my identity has affected the way I present myself in a way that is expressive and unapologetic. My sexuality and my comfort in who I am has allowed me to be my best self, but that’s through constant support as well. I’m very explorative when it comes to the way I express myself: whether it be through fashion, art, or music. Everyone has their own interests and way of presenting themselves. Having something to identify as, as well as having a community to connect with, brings endless possibilities to an individual’s identity.

HANNAH DAVIS

SHE/HER ITEM: GLASS ANIMALS “HOW TO BE A HUMAN BEING” VINYL

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? My ex gave it to me a long time ago. At the time she gave it to me, we had just broken up. She was going to throw it away and I was like “Oooooh I’ve been wanting to draw on the frame of a mirror so this is perfect”. At the time our breakup was quite new, so I would literally find myself drawing on the mirror, listening to music, and just thinking about our past four years together.

Reminiscing on how I’ve changed as a person, and what I want and need to change for myself. The end of a four-year relationship is such a world spin, I feel like I’ve been on some other planet, and I’m just now having to relearn how to be a person. Whenever I’m creating, I’m reflecting – I was just doing that literally with this piece. I’m still not done with it. I’ve finished like 75% of it and I haven’t touched it in months. I’m kind of afraid to finish it, I feel like I’ll know the perfect day when it comes.

¡DUVY!

ANY PRONOUNS ITEM: GREEN MIRROR

WHAT HAS YOUR GENDER AND SEXUALITY JOURNEY BEEN LIKE? Since realizing I’m gender fluid, I’ve started to be a lot more open to presenting femme. Whether that be my clothes, makeup, or jewelry for the longest time I was afraid of being perceived as fem. It was just so ingrained in me at an early age that “being a boy was my gender and WHO I am” It started to become overwhelming having something as my sole identifier. That’s just so weird to me. It’s also helped me realize I’m a lot more creative than I thought I was, and I need to give myself the credit for that, or else I’m not gonna create! I’m not super particular with the way that I dress but I can say I love looking like a hippy.

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? This item was gifted to me by myself. It means late nights in Dallas, S4 after hours, backseats, and dancing the last song. Right now this is my favorite poppers brand and aroma. They are Texas-made and you can purchase your own at Skivvies in Dallas. I love that poppers have a history in the queer community and that straights don’t know what they are. I brought this item because it’s FDA-disapproved and because it matches my outfit.

HOW HAVE YOUR IDENTITIES CHANGED YOUR OUTLOOK?

ANTONIO CORDERRO MENDOZA MERCADO HE/HIM/ÉL ITEM: DOUBLE SCORPIO BLACK “HARNESS CLEANER”

I think my identities have pushed me to be more outspoken not only in my expression but every facet of my life. Being part of a marginalized group prepares you for hardship in life. Elektra said it best, “We fought for our place at this table, and that has made us stronger than you’ll ever be.” That’s simply how I see it.

Growing up in a world that isn’t made for you makes you see things very differently. I want to say that my being gay doesn’t define me but my life is consumed in queer culture. My career is in queer advocacy. The items that are most important to me are queer, and the family I choose to surround myself with are queer.

CLASS B

NEMO LAKTARI (SHE/HER) JUDAS (THEY/THEM) DAVID SAHEID (HE/THEY) AUSTYNE (HE/SHE/THEY)

CLASS B

ZAN (THEY/THEM) JESUS (HE/SHE/THEY) AARON LUCAS (HE/THEY) AMANI SODIQ-ODUNAIYA (SHE/HER)

WHAT IS YOUR ITEM? African threading is a cherished tradition among women in parts of Africa. It has been passed down for generations as a way of styling and also as a way of naturally straightening the hair. In African and Black culture, hair is an important part of expressing oneself and even telling a story. For me, I love to mix traditional and untraditional in my art/expression. This style is typically used with black yarn, however, I used purple because purple is my favorite color.

WHAT LED TO THIS EXPLORATION?

NEMO LAKTARI SHE/HER ITEM: MY HAIR STYLED SIMILARLY TO AFRICAN THREADING

Staying dormant for the first part of my life made me realize I should seize the moment. Throughout much of my life I was confined in an extremely religious environment. I had to restrict the way I dressed and the way I expressed attraction. When I finally got out, I made the most of being able to explore who I am.

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? My sister mailed me a Daria-style “spooky sibling” drawing of the three of us from college her freshman year. I loved it so much that I wanted it permanently with me to look at whenever I need to remember the unconditional love I receive from them. Being a queer person, I’m grateful daily because so many queer people do not have an amicable relationship with their blood family at all.

HOW HAVE YOUR IDENTITIES CHANGED THE WAY YOU DEFINE WHATS IMPORANT TO YOU?

JUDAS

THEY/THEM ITEM: TATTOO OF SIBLINGS

Being queer and non-binary, everything I do every day takes thought, intention, and caution. I enjoy a loving community many cisgender, straight people do not have.

But the danger posed by living out and unapologetically causes a very deliberately placed sense of worth on items/ art I accumulate.

WHATS YOUR ITEM? Symbolically, the little camera is a seed of creativity that was planted by my dad – who I’m pretty sure gave it to me. I didn’t really know how to use it then, but I rediscovered it when I was cleaning out my childhood bedroom and have started using it.

HOW ARE YOU ADJUSTING TO YOUR RECENT SELF EXPLORATION? I think my identities intersect in unique ways. I’m FirstGen here in the States, and I quickly learned how to mesh with my surroundings, but there was always something that felt not quite on center. As I grew up, I found out that some of my best memories were when I decided to interact how it felt authentic and I’ve slowly been piecing together what that means to me. I’ve known and been comfortable in my sexuality for a while, but finding out I’m non-binary is a new jungle for me — one I’m excited to explore. As my comfort grows, I plan to try new styles and hobbies and make new friends that help to further my understanding. Overall, it’s a positive cycle that feeds on itself.

ZAN

THEY/THEM ITEM: NEXIA Q1 FILM CAMERA

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? It’s a reminder of how much he has grown since then and how I have at the same time! He has been through major life moments with me, and I truly don’t think I could’ve gotten through it without him. He’s a constant reminder to take care of myself and not to give up so easily! The photo was a birthday gift to me from my best friend, who also has been just as supportive, if not more.

HOW HAVE YOUR IDENTITIES SHAPED YOUR SELF EXPRESSION?

DAVID SAHEIB

HE/THEY ITEM: A PICTURE OF MY BABY BOY, GYBI (THE CAT)

Growing up, I always tried to look as straight as possible. I thought being gay was something I needed to compensate for, and although it didn’t seem like it, I was pretty ashamed of myself. The self-pity gets old eventually and I met some great people who encouraged me to truly explore who I am. As cliché as it sounds, I dress myself the way I do for “middle school me”. I find myself playing and experimenting with old trends and styles the way I wish I did when I was in middle to high school age. It’s really fun for me and genuinely very freeing. I recommend everyone to give it a try!

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? This Telfar bag makes me feel expensive. I chose this because I forgot my teddy bear. My boyfriend Jesus gave it to me. It’s the first luxury brand bought by my first ever boyfriend with his money even though he doesn’t have a lot of it. This came from a nice place -- his heart. The story behind it was that Telfar was doing their first-ever “secure the bag program” and as a reward for each other’s prosperity and growth in the relationship, we decided to give each other matching Telfar bags but didn’t tell each other the color. I knew he wasn’t going to get me an ugly color because I would not like it. So, he gave me the color that I liked, and I was happy and I also knew that he would do that.

HOW HAVE YOUR IDENTITIES SHAPED YOUR SELF EXPRESSION?

AUSTYNE

HE/SHE/THEY ITEM: OXBLOOD TELFAR MINI

I used to be more expressive with how I presented myself, but during the pandemic I stopped knowing who I was. Being at home made it too aware to me that I had to be invisible. Now, I’m relearning how to present who I am again. I, typically, am empowered in heels and love to dress for attention. Some of my favorite go-to looks are bellbottom or flared pants/ jeans and loose-fitted flowy shirts.

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? I began making this piece before the pandemic and finished in the middle of it. I chose to bring this because it symbolizes the many ends that I’ve witnessed within myself that have gotten me to the place I’m in now. I made this piece as a part of a series I decided to make before I turned 25. 25 felt like it should be a turning point and I had decided to commemorate it by creating 25 works surrounding my life. Needless to say, I did not finish the series until I turned 26. This was the final piece I made after moving to Dallas last year. It marked an end to my life in Kentucky.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR IDENTITIES HAVE INFORMED YOUR EXPRESSION? For me, expression came before I learned exactly how I identified. I knew that I didn’t fit into the boxes I saw my cis peers in, both in Mexico and when I moved to the U.S. Being able to address myself with terms that feel appropriate has given me some room to breathe.

I still wear whatever I want, mostly informed by my mood. But now that I am an adult I am keenly aware that I present outside of social norms and sometimes attract unwanted, sometimes violent attention. I still am very adamant about not allowing it to dictate where I go and how I act. That is my own form of fighting back against the “-isms” faced here in America. I love to wear skirts and anything that could be considered slutty. I also love to hide my body in baggy clothes at the same time. I love mixing patterns and playing around with what anyone considers “ugly”. My favorite item is probably this champagne-colored Helmut Lang dress I bought a few months ago.

JESUS

HE/SHE/THEY ITEM:ART PIECE I MADE TITLED “THE END AGAIN”

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? St. Nicholas is my emotional support bear.

I stuffed him myself back in 2018 at the “Bears for Bae” event that UNT used to host annually.

Physical touch is one of the ways I feel loved and cared for, and having a little bear to hold to when I’m falling asleep or going through a mental breakdown has always made me feel less alone. I think my inner child finds it very comforting as well.

He’s an inanimate object. But I’ve grown attached to it and I’m learning to openly accept that. I brought him to the shoot to remind myself to embrace that part of myself who adores this little bear.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE DISCOVERING THAT YOU’RE PANSEXUAL?

AMANI SODIQODUNAIYA

SHE/HER ITEM: TEDDY BEAR NAMED “ST. NICHOLAS”

I was raised in a very strict Muslim and Nigerian household, so anything outside of the norm was a no. I was pretty homophobic because of this. When I got to UNT, everything changed. I got to see so many people with different identities and sexual orientations, and it showed me that I didn’t have to stick to the identity that was imposed on me. I searched for who I was in college and I found out that I am pansexual. It was scary at first, and I tried to suppress it. It’s terrifying how much weight the mental chains of your childhood can have, but I was able to break them and embrace the fact that I just loved people regardless of sex or gender identity.

Something that I struggled with when I accepted that I was pansexual was the way I appeared to people. I felt like I didn’t look or dress in a certain way and if I didn’t look or dress in that way then I wasn’t really pansexual.

It’s definitely just my internalized biases making me feel like all queer people look and dress a certain way. It took a minute to accept that queer people can look or dress any way they want and it doesn’t take away from their identity, I can dress or look any way I want and it doesn’t mean I’m not pansexual.

OH! WHAT IS YOUR ITEM? I’ve always wanted a chainsaw. I always loved the way they’ve been presented in popular media — and it was always a long-term goal of mine to eventually buy myself one. Last year, I finally achieved that goal — I used it as one of those little goals that would keep me going when I woke up and knew it would be a bad day.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOURSELF. I’ve recently been presenting slightly less masc, which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed — I think sometimes I find it entertaining to present myself as someone who expresses many different elements of the gender spectrum at any given time. I want to be confusing, and somewhat frightening. The chainsaw feeds into that nicely.

AARON LUCAS HE/THEY ITEM: CHAINSAW

CLASS C

JEREHAI WASHINGTON (HE/THEY) KIM (SHE/HER) DARREN DOBSON (THEY/THEM) CHANNELLE DIOR (SHE/THEY)

CLASS C

KR (THEY/THEM) MARS LEWIS (THEY/THEM) IAN JUAREZ (ANY PRONOUNS)

WHAT IS YOUR ITEM? It’s a reference to my art and fascination with death, vulture culture, within the world of the weird, unconventional, and unusual. I do a lot of art with different creatures; moths are my favorite. This species, in particular, is naturally eye-catching.

WHAT DRAWS YOU TO OBJECTS LIKE THESE? I believe it forms around my style especially.

Alternative, “gothic” particularly was somewhat a gateway to dress unconditionally and to feel out how “I” as a person wanted to present. I like to be androgynous, but not in an average way. I wanted to be now what my younger self dreamed to be.

JEREHMAI WASHINGTON

HE/THEY ITEM: A GREATER DEATHS HEAD MOTH

JEREHMAI WASHINGTON WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING THIS TIME? This was a gift from someone in my family. He does art using crystal quartz and had made similar pieces before. I mentioned to him I’d love a piece for larping & dnd and he crafted it for my 24th birthday, and carved it with my old nickname in runes.

HE/THEY ITEM: MAGIC STAFF

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? I chose the note as my item because it’s a physical reminder of how supportive and loving my relationship with my dad is. Growing up, if I ever found myself feeling upset, I would always go reference that note. The funny thing is that I would always lose that journal the note was originally in so eventually when I did come across it again, I would feel the same joy I did as the first time I read it.

HAS YOUR SEXUALITY CHANGED THE WAY YOU PRESENT YOURSELF?

KIM

SHE/HER ITEM: A NOTE MY DAD WROTE TO ME IN AN OLD JOURNAL FROM WHEN I WAS 6

I honestly don’t know how being bisexual has affected the way I present myself. I feel like my sexual orientation is a part of my identity rather than the main highlight about myself. So, when it comes to what I wear and the things I enjoy doing, like art or creating things I just go with what makes me happy.

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? The item is a feeling of comfort and confidence in who I am and what I stand for. Hair has always been something I felt like I had no control over, but when I got my pick it helped me control that and it made me feel so good.

HAVE YOUR IDENTITIES CAUSED YOU TO VIEW YOURSELF DIFFERENTLY? My gender and sexuality define me and who I am.

Those identities define me because whether I like it or not, that is what other people will focus on. So I embrace them with love and I let that influence all the other aspects of my life.

DAREN DOBSON THEY/THEM ITEM: HAIR PICK

WHAT IS THIS ITEM??

It doesn’t mean anything special, it’s just a tool I use to sketch and make work. It is a facilitating factor in my creativity just as much as the paper is. This specific pen really means nothing to me, I actually think I lost it shortly after this shoot.

HAS YOUR SEXUALITY CHANGED THE WAY YOU PRESENT YOURSELF? I overarchingly identify as queer. I don’t really have anything totally figured out, gender/sexuality-wise, so my outward physical expression tends to be fluid with a leaning towards androgyny. I feel very comfortable being queer and that has opened a lot of doors in the in-betweens of gender expression. It’s important to say that my comfortability in my own expression was not always the case. As for the things I like doing, I’m very often surrounded by other queer people, but I’m not sure how much of that is circumstantial and what is a product of being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. In my experience as a visual artist, being queer has been the basis of quite a bit of my work and has allowed me to connect with people all across gender and sexuality spectrums.

KR

THEY/THEM ITEM: A PEN

WHAT ITEM DID YOU BRING? I bought my guitar myself and started taking lessons. My mom and family were surprised and didn’t understand why I was doing it but it was just for me. A thing I’m doing purely for my own satisfaction and it feels really nice. For me, my guitar signifies my transition to doing things for myself that I enjoy rather than doing what I’m expected to do. It was the beginning of this whole transition era that I think is coming to an end for me.

But of course, I can’t be sure of that since I’m not psychic or something.

HAS YOUR SEXUALITY CHANGED THE WAY YOU DRESS?

MARS LEWIS

THEY/THEM ITEM: RUBY RED SAWTOOTH ELECTRIC GUITAR

My identities are seen in the way I dress, how I do my hair and makeup, my mannerisms, and my music taste.

The first thing that I started to change to fit who I truly wanted to be after I came out was my wardrobe.

It was hard at first because I thought to be non-binary I had to be skinny and androgynous and I was neither.

It stressed me out a lot and made me sad. Eventually, I realized that I don’t have to present a certain way to be seen as non-binary, it’s my identity and I can present however I want to. This is for ME, not other people. So now I usually dress hyper-feminine because it’s really fun and makes me feel powerful. It also just feels like dress-up, I like feeling like a real-life Bratz doll. After I cut my hair I finally felt like I looked like the person I was supposed to be this entire time. Everything else just fell into place, the person I am on the inside was finally visible on the outside.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS ITEM? I bought this keychain the same day I ended up getting into a pretty bad wreck and I just think it’s ironic.

DOES THE WAY YOU PRESENT YOURSELF EFFECT YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE? My everyday life is heavily affected by my identity and the way I present myself ! Yes, I am loud. Yes, I am flamboyant. I’m extra! Growing up, these were all things people tried to change about me, which made me internally scared of myself. I used to think there was something wrong with me. But those same things turned out to be a big part of my success because they are things that make me who I am at the end of the day.

If some people don’t like that – I’m not sorry.

CHANNELLE DIORR SHE/THEY ITEM: A KEYCHAIN

WHAT DO YOU THINK LED TO THAT CHANGE OF HEART? ​​ rag has definitely affected my sense of self. Often D times I’m always putting Chanelle first and Tyler on the back burner. Drag is like a superpower! It feels good to be on top of the world. Who doesn’t love attention?

But when you’re out of drag it can feel like your superpowers are ‘off,’ and I’m not as confident out of drag as I am in. But I have to remember Chanelle lives within Tyler. That same power that exists on stage exists off stage.

WHAT ITEMS DID YOU BRING? As a kid, my brother and I collected these whenever we got our haircuts, did laundry, or were in a gas station around Fort Worth. And as we got older we forgot them. My mom was going to throw them out until my grandmother took them from my mom and kept them until me and my family were cleaning out my grandmother’s home after she died. I fought my brother to keep them and I hold them as a memory of my grandma and her love for me.

HOW DO YOU DISCUSS YOUR IDENTIES?

IAN JUAREZ

ANY PRONOUNS ITEM: HOMIES FIGURINE

I came out very young to myself and believed that me telling people who or what I am doesn’t matter to me as much. I hated the idea of coming out and so I never really did. Once, my mother asked me if I was gay and I quickly said ‘yes’ and walked away not letting her say a response to that hasty reply. My relationship with my gender and my sexual orientation is deeply connected to my identity of being a sex worker. Being a sex worker has given me the ability of knowing how people perceive me and giving them this colored version of vulnerability that allows me to discuss and show super intimate and personal experiences while still having a sense of personal privacy. This amalgamation of identities people have within themselves just makes me choose each outfit and tone for the day like a costume that can be changed as quickly or slowly as I want.

CLASS SUPERLATIVES MOST LIKELY TO INJURE THEMSELVES DOING SOMETHING RECKLESS: AARON LUCAS BESTFRIEND TO ALL: AMANI SODIQ-ODUNAIYA BIGGEST TEASE: ANTONIO CORDERRO MENDOZA MERCADO QUEEN OF EXISTENTIAL DREAD: AUSTYNE BIGGEST DIVA: CHANELLE DIORR THE HOTTEST M.I.L.F: DAKOTA BROOKE THE MOST LOVING: DARREN DOBSON THE BIGGEST BIMBO VAPE QUEEN: DAVID SAHEIB THE LOUDEST YELLER: DOMINIC HEART BREAKER OF THE CLASS: DUVY MOST LIKELY TO BE YOUR FATHER: HANNAH DAVIS TALKS THE MOST SHIT: IAN JUAREZ MOST LIKELY TO BE A POPSTAR: IVY THE MOST MACABRE: JEREHMAI WASHINGTON WIERDEST AMONG THE WEIRDOS: JUDAS MOST LIKELY TO USE THEIR FAKE POPSTAR MENTALITY TO RISE TO FAME: JESUS ROUGHEST OF THE BUNCH: KR LIFE OF THE PARTY: KIM MOST LIKELY TO BECOME A NICHE MICRO-CELEBRITY: MARS LEWIS MOST LIKELY TO MAKE A ZINE FILLED WITH PEOPLE THEY LOVE: NATE MOST CHAOTIC ENERGY: NEMO LAKTARI THE BIGGEST BADASS: ROXY THE MOST COSMICALLY LUCKY: ZAN

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YEARBOOK is an annual queer zine that shares the personal experiences and thoughts of members of the LGBTQIA+ community over specific topics through photos & interviews.

By providing these unique perspectives, YEARBOOK hopes to inspire introspection in the reader and the participants of the publication. There are too many stories that have been lost through the passage of time or that have never seen the light of day and YEARBOOK wants to see that change.

It proposes that individuals should have the freedom to find themselves without judgment –if they want to that is.